Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev over a fire near a defence production facility in Brașov County that Romanian prosecutors have described as an alleged sabotage operation coordinated by Russian operatives. The diplomatic move followed President Nicușor Dan’s public accusation that Russia was conducting a campaign to undermine European security and unity.

“For years, Russia has used a diverse arsenal of means to weaken European democracies,” Dan said in a post on X. “I strongly condemn any involvement of the Russian Federation in acts of sabotage on the territory of Romania. Such actions are unacceptable and represent a serious violation of our country’s sovereignty and security.”

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Lipaev was summoned to its headquarters on Tuesday, October 27, where Romanian officials formally protested Russia’s alleged involvement in the incident.

The Russian Embassy in Bucharest rejected the accusations, arguing that Romanian authorities had presented no evidence substantiating claims of Russian involvement in the fire, which occurred on September 14 at the Carfil industrial platform in Brașov.

Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) and the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) previously said that two Belarusian citizens and a Ukrainian citizen had been involved in the fire at the premises of several companies in Brașov County, near Carfil, allegedly under the direction of Russian operatives.

Carfil is a subsidiary of Romarm, Romania’s state-owned defence group, and manufactures military equipment, including military drones.

Carfil seeks international partnerships amid financial pressure

The industrial platform in Brașov dates back to 1922 and has specialised in producing military equipment and armaments for the Romanian armed forces since 1936.

Despite increased demand for military supplies following Russia’s war against Ukraine, delayed domestic orders have put pressure on the company’s financial position and the jobs of its 550 employees, according to Libertatea.

Carfil has sought to expand its capabilities through international partnerships and new technologies. In 2023, it successfully tested two military drone prototypes, Cuda and Sirin, developed with US manufacturer Periscope Aviation.

The company has also partnered with British firm Alford Technologies on explosives and specialised pyrotechnic devices. As part of that cooperation, Carfil launched a public procurement procedure worth more than RON18mn for a robotic explosive-loading line for 120mm grenade launchers.

In October 2026, Carfil signed a memorandum of understanding with Greek supplier Altus LSA covering strategic cooperation in autonomous systems and advanced technologies for countering enemy drones.